Europe lifts decade-long blacklist on Indonesian carriers

All Indonesian carriers have been removed from the European Commission's airline blacklist, more than a decade after a blanket ban on the Asian state.

Indonesian airlines were placed on the blacklist under the whole-country ban in 2007.

Over the subsequent 11 years just seven Indonesian operators – among them Garuda Indonesia, its regional operation Citilink, and Lion Air – have been removed from the list.

But the Commission has newly revised its blacklist to lift the blanket ban, stating that all airlines certified in Indonesia "are cleared".

It says that this decision follows improvements to the aviation safety situation in the country.

"After years of work we are today able to clear all air carriers from Indonesia," says European transport commissioner Violeta Bulc. "It shows that hard work and close co-operation pay off."

Fifteen countries, featuring 114 airlines, still have blanket bans imposed as a result of weak regulatory oversight.

Five other airlines are individually blacklisted – Iraqi Airways, Air Zimbabwe, Iran Aseman Airlines, Med-View Airlines and Blue Wing Airlines – while six other carriers have operating restrictions against them.

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